- Introduction: A Trip Of Downgrades, Suspensions, And Delays
- Review: Lufthansa Lounge Newark Airport (EWR), Including First Dining
- Review: Lufthansa Allegris First Class Airbus A350 (EWR-MUC)
- Review: Koenigshof Munich, Marriott Luxury Collection (I’d Return!)
- Review: Airport Lounge World Munich Airport (MUC)
- Review: British Airways Club Europe Business Class Airbus A320neo (MUC-LHR)
- Review: Park Hyatt London River Thames (Solid Generic Luxury Hotel)
- Review: American Flagship Suite Business Class Boeing 787 (LHR-ORD)
During my trip of downgrades, suspensions, and delays, I flew British Airways’ Airbus A320neo Club Europe business class from Munich to London. Prior to my flight, I had the chance to check out the Airport Lounge World Munich (MUC). This is the contract and Priority Pass lounge in the non-Schengen area of Terminal 1 (essentially the non-Star Alliance terminal).
While this lounge isn’t anything special, I think this is the perfect example of what a Priority Pass lounge should be — it gets all the basics right, has a decent selection of food and drinks, and doesn’t seem to get too crowded.
In this post:
Airport Lounge World Munich location
The Airport Lounge World Munich is located in Terminal 1, by the B-gates. Since I had an early morning flight, I actually had to clear security at the C-gates (the B-gates checkpoint wasn’t open yet), but from there it was just a short walk toward the lounge.
The lounge is located near gate B10, which you reach after security and passport control. Let me emphasize that this area of the terminal is non-Schengen, so you couldn’t access this lounge if traveling on a Schengen flight.
The lounge is located one level above the main terminal concourse, and it can only be accessed by elevator.
Airport Lounge World Munich hours
The Airport Lounge World Munich is currently open daily from 5AM until 10:15PM, so that covers virtually all departures from the airport. As you’d expect, those hours can change over time, based on flight schedules.
Airport Lounge World Munich entry requirements
There are a variety of ways to access the Airport Lounge World Munich, including the following:
- You can outright buy access for €57 per person (which is steep, and probably not worth it)
- The lounge belongs to most major lounge programs, including Priority Pass
- The lounge is the contract lounge for premium passengers on most airlines departing from the terminal, including Aer Lingus, American, Beond, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Condor, Delta, Etihad, Gulf Air, Kuwait Airways, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Saudia, Uzbekistan Airways, and Vietnam Airlines (Emirates has its own lounge at the airport)
Regardless of which way you access the lounge, visits are allowed up to three hours before departure.
Airport Lounge World Munich seating & layout
The Airport Lounge World Munich is spread across two floors. The lounge’s design is… unique. I can’t decide if it feels modern, or sterile, or what exactly. Perhaps that’s partly because the lounge has hardwood floors and very brightly colored furniture, along with white walls, which makes for an unusual combination.
The main part of the lounge (and definitely the most trafficked part) is on the lower level. There you’ll find all kinds of seating zones, each of which can accommodate a good number of people.
There’s also a main dining area, with roughly two dozen tables, each seating two to four people.
In the back of the lounge you’ll find more seating, with a massive “U” shaped banquette, plus some individual chairs along the windows.
The lounge then has an upper level, which seems to get very little traffic. That’s because I think many people don’t even find the upper level — the door is right by the entrance, so you probably forget it’s even there after passing it for the first time.
Speaking of the stairs, you’ll also find some lockers right in this area, where you can place your belongings during your visit.
On the upper level, you’ll find a bunch more seating, with a generally similar design to the lower level.
There’s also some more varied seating up there, ranging from semi-private chairs, to a nap area, to a kids play area, to a smoking room.
Airport Lounge World Munich food & drinks
The Airport Lounge World Munich Airport has a respectable selection of food and drinks. The main buffet is located on the lower level, near the dining tables.
The breakfast selection consisted of a variety of breads (including delicious pretzels!), cereal, cold cuts, veggies, cheese, yogurt, and whole fruit.
Hot options included scrambled eggs, as well as cherry pancakes.
Drinks were available at a separate buffet, and included beer, wine, soft drinks, water, and an espresso machine.
There was also a station with some snacks, ranging from cookies to pretzels.
The upper level of the lounge had a scaled back selection of food and drinks. Food was very limited, and consisted of just whole fruit and some light snacks. The drink selection was quite similar to on the lower level.
Airport Lounge World Munich bathrooms & showers
The Airport Lounge World Munich has bathrooms on the lower level. The men’s room had three sinks, four urinals, and two stalls.
The lounge also offers several shower suites, though I didn’t have a chance to take a shower.
There was also a meditation and prayer room in this area, presumably due to the number of Middle Eastern airlines that send their passengers here.
Bottom line
Airport Lounge World Munich Airport is a solid contract and Priority Pass lounge, which gets all the basics right. It has plenty of seating, a good number of amenities, and a respectable selection of food and drinks. While I wouldn’t arrive early to use the lounge, it’s a pleasant place to pass some time. If it’s busy, just head to the upper level, where you’ll find less crowding (and also less food).
What do you make of Airport Lounge World Munich?
The lounge also has a really great lounge and dinner food selection, much better than many other PP lounges, so it's a really good and decent place to go. Never experienced it too crowded either, and like Ben says, there's always the upper level for a more quiet and relaxed experience.
BTW: Since MUC airport now almost completely restricts PP to their T1 Europe/Schengen lounge to a few specific airlines only, they themself point Schengen...
The lounge also has a really great lounge and dinner food selection, much better than many other PP lounges, so it's a really good and decent place to go. Never experienced it too crowded either, and like Ben says, there's always the upper level for a more quiet and relaxed experience.
BTW: Since MUC airport now almost completely restricts PP to their T1 Europe/Schengen lounge to a few specific airlines only, they themself point Schengen passengers towards the World/Non-Schengen lounge (noting that they'll have to undergo passport control though and clear security again when returning to the Schengen area of the terminal). See https://www.munich-airport.com/airport-lounge-europe-725693 for reference.
We were there in October before our Qatar flights. We started downstairs to eat, then moved upstairs (where it’s so quiet you can hear a pin drop). It’s not meant to be the La Premiere lounge, but it’s very solid, and does the job. Friendly staff, and loads of light.
kudos on the showers. the dining area looks like a school cafeteria. 'where's my grilled cheese sammich, Doris'?
Small correction: you can access the lounge also by stairs :) (very little people do - I anyway prefer walking ;)
And @neogucky: for sure the LH SEN lounge in the MUC Satellite Terminal is way better.
I'm surprised (but probably shouldn't be) that the Priority Pass lounge looks better than all Lufthansa lounges (except LH First) I have been to!
Very nice! Definitely will try it soon. (someone knows how to take pictures).
Wow….refreshes a lot of memories. Haven’t been here in a few years, but this lounge was my first PP lounge I ever accessed quite a few years ago, way before the pandemic.
It was the holiday season and they used to serve a very decent quality sparkling wine.
Plus upper floor rest room is unique. The porcelain throne faces a not so distant window, that is off course not in the pathway of people walking...
Wow….refreshes a lot of memories. Haven’t been here in a few years, but this lounge was my first PP lounge I ever accessed quite a few years ago, way before the pandemic.
It was the holiday season and they used to serve a very decent quality sparkling wine.
Plus upper floor rest room is unique. The porcelain throne faces a not so distant window, that is off course not in the pathway of people walking outside. But you never know if a maintenance guy walking by could look in.
Your comment just made me have a flashback to last October, when I walked in and thought the same thing!
I use the lounge all the time when flying home to NYC and I never knew there is an upstairs. The lounge does the job just fine. It's nothing special, but the food is good and plenty of seating (and now I know there is an upstairs - even more seating).
Looks like a Korean Air lounge with different color scheme
Hi Ben,
The „World Lounge“ is my favorite business class Lounge at MUC (compared to AF, EK, LH C and Europe Lounge).
I would even say it’s the best Priority Pass Lounge in Europe? (I like its interior design, so that helps.)
You can also easily use it on Schengen flights if you are willing to go through passport control (twice) - with selected passports, e-Gates can be used.
There also is an...
Hi Ben,
The „World Lounge“ is my favorite business class Lounge at MUC (compared to AF, EK, LH C and Europe Lounge).
I would even say it’s the best Priority Pass Lounge in Europe? (I like its interior design, so that helps.)
You can also easily use it on Schengen flights if you are willing to go through passport control (twice) - with selected passports, e-Gates can be used.
There also is an airside shuttle bus from this lounge in T1 to the Star Alliance Terminal T2 with frequent service.
One more thing: The glass front spanning two levels of the World Lounge is fantastic.
It does look like a decent lounge but I doubt it comes near the top 5 of non-, airline lounges in Europe. Some of the AENA lounges have historically been better - e.g. the Schengen one at BCN clearly is on a different level- and after COVID there's been more attention paid by airport operators to the facilities in order to attract premium leisure pax (see e.g. the Extime projects in Paris).